Kumiko is a delicate and sophisticated technique of assembling wooden pieces into beautiful patterns without the use of nails, and Matt Kenney's latest book offers step by step instructions that can't be found in print elsewhere. Kenney, a former editor at Fine Woodworking is at the forefront of a revival in interest in Kumiko. He has included Kumiko in both his furniture designs and as stand-alone framed panels that highlight the work. Kenney's methods are reimagined for the modern workshop but still require precise handwork that pays homage to the craft.

With its history of nearly a thousand years, shoji - translucent paper-backed sliding doors and screens - are an inherent part of Japanese tradition and culture. But their beauty and charm can equally be adapted to rooms in a Western home. In this book, Des King examines basic shoji making and design. He gives comprehensive background information about shoji and how they have evolved, and detailed step-by-step instructions, supported by many diagrams and photographs, on how to make three shoji with progressively more complex kumiko arrangements, and variations on structure and joinery. Kumiko patterns enhance the uniqueness and charm of shoji, and Des King introduces three different kinds of patterns, and provides detailed instructions on how to make each kind, including dimensional diagrams of jigs that will improve work efficiency. He also dispels many of the myths about the Japanese hand-plane - the kanna - with an extensive description of how to set up, use and maintain this exceptional tool, including problems that can arise and how to avoid them. Through his highly structured and traditional approach in Book 1, Des King lays solid foundations from which any woodworker can confidently look toward tackling much more complex kumiko patterns and arrangements that can enhance the flair and individuality of shoji in any setting.

Kumiko doesn't like going to bed. She can't sleep, and the reason she can't sleep is because of the giant dragon that sits outside her bedroom window, every single night. So one night she plucks up the courage to ask the dragon to leave, not knowing that the truth she is about to discover is more thrilling than anything she could ever have imagined. This delightful story will take the young readers on a soaring dragon adventure, as Kumiko discovers a strength she never even knew she had.

If you can sew, you can do boutis A sophisticated, stylish, and easy-to-master craft 20 projects featuring classic boutis needlecraft techniques Includes full-size pullout patterns

Book 3 Hexagonal Patterns is the third and final book in the Shoji and Kumiko Design series, and follows on seamlessly from Book 2 - Beyond the Basics. In Book 3, Des King gives detailed, step-by-step instructions on making 45 stunning patterns in the hexagonal jigumi arrangement, ranging from the very simple, to the highly complex and extremely difficult. More than 500 photographs and diagrams guide you at each stage on making these patterns using tools found in any Western workshop, and simple shop-made jigs. As with Book 1 and Book 2, no specialised tools are required for any of the patterns covered in Book 3. The patterns in this book are indeed items of art, and can be applied in a broad range of furniture and artistic designs to set your work apart from all others.

Patterns for 20 handcrafted projects, each an exquisite accessory and a tiny work of art, are provided in this step-by-step guide. The centerpiece of the handbook is a range of stunning fabric jewelry--necklaces, bracelets, and earrings--crafted from silks or cottons complemented by a colorful decorative cord that is woven or knotted into unique designs, called "kumihimo," Instructions are provided for several unusual craft techniques including Japanese knotwork, Delica beading, and fabric origami, each with color drawings and step-by-step directions. Projects are accompanied by color photographs evocative of contemporary Japanese style, and every chapter opens with a wonderful original watercolor by the author, as well as text providing reflections on Japanese life and art.

A magical novel, based on a Japanese folk tale, that imagines how the life of a broken-hearted man is transformed when he rescues an injured white crane that has landed in his backyard. George Duncan is an American living and working in London. At forty-eight, he owns a small print shop, is divorced, and lonelier than he realizes. All of the women with whom he has relationships eventually leave him for being too nice. But one night he is woken by an astonishing sound—a terrific keening, which is coming from somewhere in his garden. When he investigates he finds a great white crane, a bird taller than even himself. It has been shot through the wing with an arrow. Moved more than he can say, George struggles to take out the arrow from the bird's wing, saving its life before it flies away into the night sky. The next morning, a shaken George tries to go about his daily life, retreating to the back of his store and making cuttings from discarded books—a harmless, personal hobby—when through the front door of the shop a woman walks in. Her name is Kumiko, and she asks George to help her with her own artwork. George is dumbstruck by her beauty and her enigmatic nature, and begins to fall desperately in love with her. She seems to hold the potential to change his entire life, if he could only get her to reveal the secret of who she is and why she has brought her artwork to him. Witty, magical, and romantic, The Crane Wife is a story of passion and sacrifice, that resonates on the level of dream and myth. It is a novel that celebrates the creative imagination, and the disruptive power of love.